Kyono Mori Yurinsha

I’m only reviewing the coffee shop. It’s a cute little spot attached to a homestay, with plenty of homemade bagels. They come with cream cheese or other toppings, and have a nice chewy texture. The coffee was very strong, but tasted good once I added milk. The owner was super nice and the atmosphere felt very zen. It was pretty hot inside, though. Maybe the air conditioning wasn’t working.

We stopped in for breakfast after passing by, and the homemade bagels were really appetizing, with lots of flavors to choose from. The food was very nice, too. I especially loved how cozy and warmly decorated the place was, and the owner was so polite and welcoming. One small thought for dine-in guests: cutting the bagel open would make it easier to add all those lovely fillings.

The breakfasts were our favorite part of the stay. They were included, delicious, and served in several courses, with a mix of Japanese and Western food. The owner’s stuffed bagels were also some of the best I’ve had outside New York, with just the right chew. The guest house is on a small, peaceful street a few blocks from the tourist areas, but still within walking distance. There are plenty of nearby restaurants and bars if you’d rather skip the busy main dining streets. Our room was very clean and comfortable, and had air conditioning.

The owner really made our four-night stay at Kyonomori stand out. She was kind, accommodating, quick to answer messages on booking.com, and spoke very good English. That helped a lot when we needed to arrange a late arrival and check-in time. We found the rooms small but roomy enough, and liked the quaint feel of the property. It was so quiet at night that sometimes it seemed like we had the place to ourselves. It made a great little base to return to after a day out. Getting around worked well for us: about 10 minutes on foot to Nishiki Market or the Geisha District, 15-20 minutes to Kyoto Station, and the river nearby for lovely walks and runs. We had breakfast there on our first morning, a real treat after flying in from the US the day before. It was energizing and high quality, and so easy to have it downstairs in the dining room and bagel shop. For the price, I don’t think it’s easy to beat the comfort, location, and service together. We’ll stay here again when we’re back in Kyoto.